Portable cooler



Feb. 18, 1964 R. w. RAGNOW 3,121,522

PORTABLE COOLER Filed June 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1 4 4 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. I RICHARD WRAGNOW A7" TORNEYS Feb. 1 1964 R. w. RAGNOW 3,

PORTABLE COOLER Filed June 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, RICHARD WRAs/vow Fro I b rif /I AT TOR/V5 YS United States Patent 121,522 PORTABLE CGULER Richard W. Ragnow, "/0 Weber Plastics, Inc., Stevens Point, Wis. Filed June 28, 1962, Ser. No. 205,903 3 Claims. C1. 229-43) My invention relates generally to portable coolers for temporary storage of beer, soft drinks, food items and the like, and more particularly to coolers of this type which are formed or molded from foam-like plastic material such as expanded polyethylene.

Because of the cellular nature of expanded polyethylene and like material, a great deal of insulation is alforded by but relatively thin Walls. Obviously, however, relatively thin fiat walls formed from such material would not provide adequate strength to support relatively heavy objects being transported Within the cooler. As a result, it has heretofore been necessary to make the walls thick enough to impart the desired rigidity and strength to the cooler walls. Furthermore, because of the fact that such coolers are frequently given away as premium items, it is highly desirable, if not necessary, to provide ample flat surfaces upon which, to imprint advertising material. Consequently, it has heretofore been impossible to form relatively thin side walls with spaced reinforcing ribs.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a novel cooler, the container element of which may be relatively inexpensively formed from lesser quantities of expanded polyethylene than heretofore believed possible, and at the same time provide an unprecedented amount of perfectly fiat advertising surface.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a cooler of the class above described which includes a container element formed from expanded polyethylene or the like, and a novel jacket formed from fiat sheet paper stock or the like which, when placed in operative position, not only cooperates with the ribbed container to form additional dead air chambers having additional insulating value, but also provides an extremely strong, light-Weight container which is more attractive in appearance and has more flat advertising space than ordinary molded coolers of this type heretofore produced.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in side elevation of my novel cooler;

FlG. 2 is a View in end elevation corresponding to FIG. 1;

PEG. 3 is a view in perspective, some parts being broken away and some parts shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a view in section as seen substantially from the line -t4 of PEG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a View in section as seen from the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FlG. 6 is a view in section as seen from the line 6-6 of PEG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail View in bottom plan of one corner of my novel cooler, some parts being broken away.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates an upwardly opening container element, formed from foam-like plastic material such as expanded polyethylene. The opposite side walls of the container element 1 are identified by the numeral 2, whereas the opposed end walls thereof bear the numeral 3. The top 4 with which the container element 1 is pro vided, forms no part of the instant invention, and consequently will not hereafter be referred to in detail.

Adjacent to its open upper end, the container 1 is formed to define a continuous laterally outwardly projecting, horizontally disposed marginal reinforcing rib 5. As shown, rib 5 extends about the side and end walls 2-3 in spaced relation to the extreme upper edge 6 thereof, to define at its upper edge a shoulder 7 for the reception of the depending continuous skirt 8 carried by the cover 4. The side and end walls 2-3 are formed to provide a plurality of laterally spaced, vertically disposed reinforcing ribs 9, 10, respectively, which extend from the undersurface 1 1 of the horizontal rib 5, and terminate at their lower ends adjacent the bottom wall 12 of the container 1. Preferably and as shown, the extreme lower end portions of the ribs 9, 10, define horizontally disposed surfaces 13 which lie in the same plane as and form extensions of a marginal, horizontally disposed undersurface '14 formed by the bottom wall 12. The inner limits of the marginal surface 14 are defined by a continuous depending rib-like foot element 15 which depends from the bottom wall 12 adjacent its marginal edges. The generally rectangular continuous foot element 15, together with the longitudinally spaced, transversely extending ribs 16, o-bvionsly impart a considerable rigidity to the bottom wall 12. In fact, because the walls 2, 3 and 12 are constructed in the manner above described, their over-all thickness may be materially reduced with a considerable saving of material, without sacrificing the strength required for transportation and storage of objects normally carried in coolers of this type.

In order to provide highly desirable fiat printing surfaces for advertising material while at the same time imparting rigidity to the container element 1 above described, as well as enhancing the over-all appearance thereof and actually increasing the insulating qualities, 1 provide a generally rectangular jacket 17, which preferably is formed from semi-rigid sheet paper stock such as corrugated board and which, for purposes which will hereinafter become apparent, is not only flexible but has some degree of resilience. As shown, the jacket 17 is slidably receivable over the lower end of the container with the inner surface 18 thereof in frictional engagement with the outer surfaces 19 of the vertically disposed ribs.

As shown, the horizontally disposed reinforcing rib 5 projects laterally outwardly a greater distance than the vertically disposed reinforcing ribs 9, 10 associated with the side Walls 2, 3, respectively, and the cornenforming ribs x; and the shoulder-forming undersurface d1 of the horizontal rib 5 is formed to define a downwardly o ening channel 20' for the snug reception of the upper edge 21 of the connected side and end walls 22, 23, respectively, of the jacket 17.

The side and end walls 22, 23 of the jacket 17 terminate adjacent their lower ends in fold lines 22a, 23a, respectively, in the plane of the horizontally disposed surface 14 formed by the bottom wall 12, whereby to define depending flaps 22b, 23b, respectively. The flaps 22b, 23b, likewise, adjacent their extreme lower edges, are formed along fold lines 220, 230, to define anchoring lips 22d, 23d, respectively. As shown particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7, the flaps 22b, 23b are folded inwardly to overlie and engage the immediately adjacent portions of the horizontally disposed marginal undersurface 14 associated with the bottom wall 12. The anchoring lip portions 22d, 23d, however, are again bent at right angles and caused to be inserted into downwardly opening slot means 24 formed in the marginal surface 14, immediately adjacent the rectangular rib-like leg 15. Because of the cooperative relationship of the jacket 17 and parts associated therewith, with the container 1 and parts associated therewith, a sealing engagement is made between the flaps 22b, 23b, and the marginal surface 14 defined by the bottom wall-12, whereby to create longitudinally spaced parallel dead air spaces or chambers 25 in the side and end walls 2, 3 of container 1 intermediate the ribs 9, 10, respectively, thereof and the corner ribs x. Furthermore, because of the resilient nature of the corrugated board from which the skint 17 is formed, the tendency of the flap portions 22b, 23b and the lip portions 22a, 23d, respectively, to straighten out, retains the jacket 17 in the operative position shown in N68. 6 and 7 against accidental removal. Such removal, of course, could be readily accomplished if desired for the purpose of removal of the jacket '17.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment, I Wish it to be specifically understood that the same ,is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable cooler comprising:

(a) an upwardly opening container element molded from foam ike plastic material and including opposed side and end Walls and a bottom wall,

(17) said side and end walls being formed to define a continuous laterally outwardly projecting horizontally disposed marginal reinforcing rib adjacent its upper end,

(c) a plurality of laterally spaced vertically disposed reinforcing ribs which extend from the under surface of said horizontally disposed rib and terminate at their lower ends adjacent said bottom Wall,

(cl) said horizontally disposed rib projecting laterally outwardly beyond the plane of the outer surfaces of said Vertical ribs and defining a continuous downwardly facing shoulder,

(e) and a rectangular jacket formed from semi-rigid sheet stock slidably receivable over the lower end of said container with the inner surfaces thereof in frictional engagement with the outer surfaces of said ertically disposed ribs and with its upper edge in abutting engagement with said shoulder,

(f) said jacket and ribs defining laterally spaced vertically extended air chambers,

(g) the lower end portion of said jacket and the lower end portion of said container cooperating to define a closure for the lower ends of said chambers.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said closure comprises a horizontally disposed marginal surface defined by said bottom Wall and inturned flap means on the lower edge of said jacket, and in further combination with means retaining said flap means in sealing engagement with said marginal surface.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said lastmentioncd means comprises a downwardly opening slot means in the bottom wall of said container and upturned iip means on the free edges of said flap means and re ceiv able in said slot means.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 1,037,531 France Apr. 29, 1953 

1. A PORTABLE COOLER COMPRISING: (A) AN UPWARDLY OPENING CONTAINER ELEMENT MOLDED FROM FOAM-LIKE PLASTIC MATERIAL AND INCLUDING OPPOSED SIDE AND END WALLS AND A BOTTOM WALL, (B) SAID SIDE AND END WALLS BEING FORMED TO DEFINE A CONTINUOUS LATERALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED MARGINAL REINFORCING RIB ADJACENT ITS UPPER END, (C) A PLURALITY OF LATERALLY SPACED VERTICALLY DISPOSED REINFORCING RIBS WHICH EXTEND FROM THE UNDER SURFACE OF SAID HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED RIB AND TERMINATE AT THEIR LOWER ENDS ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM WALL, (D) SAID HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED RIB PROJECTING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE PLANE OF THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID VERTICAL RIBS AND DEFINING A CONTINOUS DOWNWARDLY FACING SHOULDER, (E) AND A RECTANGULAR JACKET FORMED FROM SEMI-RIGID SHEET STOCK SLIDABLY RECEIVABLE OVER THE LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER WITH THE INNER SURFACES THEREOF IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID VERTICALLY DISPOSED RIBS AND WITH ITS UPPER EDGE IN ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHOULDER, (F) SAID JACKET AND RIBS DEFINING LATERALLY SPACED VERTICALLY EXTENDED AIR CHAMBERS, (G) THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID JACKET AND THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER COOPERATING TO DEFINE A CLOSURE FOR THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID CHAMBERS. 